Curtain rod hardware

ABSTRACT

An illustrated view of an exemplary curtain rod hardware for securing a curtain rod to a wall or frame molding is presented. The curtain rod hardware is useful for providing a quick, easy, and secure device to attach the hardware to the wall and/or frame molding. The curtain rod hardware is useful for not having larger holes or a plurality of holes in the wall and/or frame molding and thus providing a non-marred wall and/or frame molding when the curtain rod hardware is switched out for other hardware.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to curtain rods. More particularly, it relates tohardware for curtain rods.

BACKGROUND

A curtain (sometimes known as a drape) is a piece of cloth intended toblock or obscure light, or drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain)water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theater thatseparates the stage from the auditorium or that serves as a backdrop.

Curtains are often hung on the inside of a building's windows to blockthe passage of light, for instance at night to aid sleeping, or to stoplight from escaping outside the budding (stopping people outside frombeing able to see inside, often for privacy reasons). In thisapplication, they are also known as “draperies”. Curtains hung over adoorway are known as portieres. Curtains come in a variety of shapes,materials, sizes, colors and patterns. They often have their ownsections within department stores, while some shops are completelydedicated to selling curtains.

Curtains vary according to cleanability, ultraviolet lightdeterioration, oil and dust retention, noise absorption, fireresistance, and life span. Curtains may be moved by hand, with cords, bypress-button pads or remote-controlled computers. They are held out ofthe way of the window by means of curtain tie-backs. Measuring curtainsizes needed for each window varies greatly according to the type ofcurtain needed, window size, and type and weight of curtain.

Curtains are a form of window treatment, and complete the overallappearance of the house. Window treatment helps control the ambiance andflow of natural light into the room. The effect of drapery or curtainsis best seen in daylight, and with proper indoor light positioning, canlook attractive even at night.

A curtain rod, curtain rail, or traverse rod is a device used to suspendcurtains, usually above windows or along the edges of showers orbathtubs, though also wherever curtains might be used. When found inbathrooms, curtain rods tend to be telescopic and self-fixing, whilecurtain rods in other areas of the home are often affixed withdecorative brackets or finial.

Curtain rods are normally attached to a wall that surrounds a frame forthe window or on a molding that defines the frame of the window.Hardware that is attached to the wall or frame molding generally has twoor more screws or nails that are used to attached the hardware securely.The rod is then removably and securely coupled to the hardware. Curtainsare then hung on the rod either by threading the rod through openings inthe curtain or by attaching hooks to the curtain and then the hooks arecoupled to the rod.

The hardware has the two or more attachments that cause holes to be madein the wall or frame molding. This is unsightly and when a curtain rodis to be exchanged for a new one, the holes are visible. Further, whenattaching the hardware to the wall or frame molding, it is a hit andmiss proposition that may cause multiple unused holes which requirepatching and repainting or need to be re-stained. These leave easilyvisible unsightly holes or remains of the misdirected attachment of thehardware.

In light of the foregoing problems and other issues that are not as yetdisclosed, there is a need for curtain rod hardware that has is attachedby a single attachment and can be significantly smaller but provide thesame level of security of the rod being held in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrated view of an exemplary curtain rod hardware.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in someembodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do notnecessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,”“having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictatesotherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.

“Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,”“by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,”“in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,”“of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,”“preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,”“substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,”“to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptorsherein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree,unless context dictates otherwise.

Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments asillustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described inconnection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is nointent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On thecontrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications andequivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, orcombinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined,without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1, an illustrated view of an exemplary curtain rodhardware 100 for securing a curtain rod to a wall or frame molding ispresented. The curtain rod hardware 100 is useful for providing a quickand easy device to attach the hardware to the wall and/or frame molding.The curtain rod hardware 100 is useful for not having larger holes or aplurality of holes in the wall and/or frame molding and thus providing anon-marred wall and/or frame molding when the curtain rod hardware 100is switched out for other hardware.

The curtain rod hardware 100 has a wall portion 110, a connector 120, arod holder 130 and an ornamentation 140. The curtain rod hardware 100preferably has a length of five and one-half (5.5) inches, however otherlengths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, five (5)inches, six (6) inches, etc. The curtain rod hardware 100 preferably hasa width of one-eighth (⅛) inch, however other widths are herebycontemplated, including, but not limited to, one-sixteenth ( 1/16) inch,one-fourth (¼) inch, etc.

The curtain rod hardware 100 preferably is made of a metal material,such as steel, aluminum, titanium, a mixture of metals, etc., howeverother materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to,wood, plastic, etc. The curtain rod holder 100 preferably has a bronzefinish, however other finishes are hereby contemplated, including, butnot limited to, silver, gold, brushed nickel, etc.

The curtain rod hardware 100 has a wall portion 110, a wall protector120, a rod holder 130 and an ornamentation 140. The curtain rod hardware100 is preferably a single casting, however the curtain rod holder 100may have more than one casting of the different portions and parts ofthe curtain rod holder 100.

The wall portion 110 is useful for attaching to an inner portion of awall and securing the curtain rod hardware 100 to the wall. The wallportion has a first portion 111 and a second portion 112. The secondportion 112 is preferably configured at a middle portion 115 of the wallportion 110. The first portion 111 of the wall portion 110 of thecurtain rod hardware 100 is preferably angled upward to further securethe curtain rod hardware 100 into the wall.

The first portion 111 of the wall portion 110 of the curtain rodhardware 100 has a first end 113. The first end 113 of the first portion111 of the wall portion 110 of the curtain rod hardware 100 ispreferably a pointed end, however other endings are hereby contemplated,including, but not limited to, square, oblong, etc.

The second portion 112 of the wall portion 110 of the curtain rodhardware 100 is preferably flat, however other shapes are herebycontemplated, including, angled, trapezoidal, etc. The second portion112 of the wall portion 110 of the curtain rod hardware 100 has a secondend 114. The second end of the second portion 112 of the wall portion110 of the curtain rod hardware 100 is preferably flat.

The second end 114 of the second portion 112 of the wall portion 110 iscoupled to a first end 121 of the wall protector 120. The wall protector120 is configured to fit securely to the wall to avoid the hole in thewall from being seen. Further, the wall protector 120 is at leastslightly larger than the width of the curtain rod hardware 100. The wallprotector 120 further has a second end 122.

The rod holder 130 of the curtain rod hardware 100 has a first end 131,a second end 132, a middle portion 133 and a holder 134.

The first end 131 of the rod holder 130 of the curtain rod hardware 100is coupled to the second end 122 of the wall protector 120 of thecurtain rod hardware 100.

The holder 134 of the curtain rod holder 130 of the curtain rod hardware100 is configured to be at significantly near the middle portion 133 ofthe rod holder 130 of the curtain rod holder 100. The holder 134 ispreferably a “U” shape, however other shapes are hereby contemplated,including, but not limited to, a square shape, an oval shape, etc. Theholder 134 of the rod holder 130 of the curtain rod holder 100 ispreferably configured to be significantly the same size of a curtainrod. The holder 134 of the rod holder 130 of the curtain rod hardware100 is preferably open at a top 135 of the rod holder 130 of the curtainrod hardware 100 for the curtain rod to be inserted and removed from thecurtain rod hardware 100.

A first side 141 of the ornamentation 140 of the curtain rod hardware100 is securely and removably coupled to the second end 133 of the rodholder 130 of the curtain rod hardware 100. The ornamentation 140 of thecurtain rod hardware 100 has a second side 142. The second side 142 ofthe ornamentation 140 of the curtain rod hardware 100 preferably has aflower ornament, however other types of ornaments are herebycontemplated, including, but not limited to, animals, blocks, sportssymbols, etc.

To install the curtain rod hardware 100, a small pilot hole is createdin the wall or frame molding. The first end 113 of the first portion 111of the wall portion 100 is inserted into the hole and moved sideways andup and down to insert the wall portion 110 of the curtain rod hardware100 into the wall to secure the curtain rod hardware 100. The wallportion 100 is inserted until the wall protector 120 is securely coupledto an exterior of the wall.

The curtain rod hardware 100 is rotated until the holder 134 of the rodholder 130 is configured where the top 135 of the holder 130 isconfigured to have the holder 134 extending under the top 135 of theholder 130.

The curtain rod can then be inserted into the holder 130 and secured toallow for the curtains to be hung without the rod falling or beingunstable.

In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects andembodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) accordingto respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” orother such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.)more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may eitheridentify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might becalled “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, inrespective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to whichthey refer or other features described above.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specificexemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies arerepresentative of more general processes and/or devices and/ortechnologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filedherewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied toother embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features ofother embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spiritof the invention being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A curtain rod hardware for securely holding acurtain rod, the hardware comprising: a wall protector; a wall portion,the wall portion having a first portion and a second portion, the firstportion being configured to have a pointed end for inserting into awall, wherein the second portion being coupled to a first side of thewall protector; a holder portion, the holder portion having a first end,a second end and a middle portion, wherein the first end being coupledto a second side of the wall protector; a holder, the holder beingconfigured significantly near the middle of the holder portion; and anornamentation, wherein the ornamentation having a first side and asecond side, wherein the first side being securely and removably coupledto the second end of the holder portion, and wherein the second sidehaving an ornament.
 2. The hardware of claim 1, wherein the hardwarebeing made of a metal material.
 3. The hardware of claim 2, wherein themetal material being steel.
 4. The hardware of claim 1, wherein thehardware having a bronze finish.
 5. The hardware of claim 1, wherein thehardware having a length being five and one-half (5.5) inches.
 6. Thehardware of claim 1, wherein the hardware having a width beingone-eighth (⅛) inch.
 7. The hardware of claim 1, wherein the holderbeing a “U” shape.
 8. The hardware of claim 1, wherein the ornamentbeing a flower.
 9. The hardware of claim 1, wherein the holder beingsignificantly the same size as a rod.
 10. The method for installing acurtain rod hardware, the method comprising: creating a small pilot holein a wall; inserting a first end of a wall portion of the curtain rodhardware into the created hole; maneuvering the first end of the wallportion to insert into the hole of the wall until a wall protector beingcoupled to the wall; and placing a rod into a holder of a rod holder ofthe hardware.